Diaphragm pump



- J. v. N. DORR DIAPHRAGM run? Filed Sept. 18. 1529 Feb. 10, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet '1 lNVENTOR John V.N

FebIlO, 19.31. J. v..N. DoRR nummmu PUMP Filed Sept. 18. 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR John V N. Dorr' 'ITOR Patented Feb, 1Q, lhidl V. N. D933, 01* NEW" YORK, N. Y., ASSIGN'OR TO THE DORE COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y, A CORPORATION OF DELAWAR-E DIAPHRAGM PUEZP Application filed September 18, 1929. Serial No. 383,3?3.

This invention relates to improvements in pumps, and articularly to suction'pumps of the well known reciprocated diaphragm type. In such pumps the diaphragm is mounted across the bottom of the bowl shaped upper portion of the pump body, which has a valve chamber below the diaphragm and is provi l d with a one-way valve across an opening connecte d with a suction line. The diaphragm is clamped at its center to a frame containing a discharge opening closed by a suitable valve and th diaphragm is reciprocated by a rod connected at one end with said frame and operatively connected at its other end with suitable reciprocating means such as a crank or eccentric on a orive shaft. The pumped licuid overflows through an outlet, usually a spent in one side of the bowl shaped portion of the body.

Pumps of this type have been provided with a splash guard mounted on or formed 'ategral with the body of the pump and en tending above the discharge spout, and this splash guard is usually coned upwardly and inwardly to the path of the drive rod, thereby acting to prevent splashing and also to prevent the introduction of foreign substances which might tend to clog the pump. This arrangement, however, renders the dia phragm and the valves less accessible and also rend rs it impractical to wash off accumulations of solid matter in the pump without removingtho splash guard. Furthermore, it sometimes desired to feed solids or liquids into the pump for admixture with the effluont, and it is difficult to obtain this result with the types of splash guard now in. general use.

The main object of the present invention is to provide an arrangement in which the splash guard mounted on the connection between the diaphragm and the eccentric or other driving member and in which tl e position of the outer edge of the splash guard with reference to the inner face of the pump bowl may be shifted from its normal position to a position to render the valves accessible from the mentioned position back to its normal position.

The splash guard may be mounted on the is": low er end of the drive rod or the frame which i the guard being flared connects the drive rod with the diaphragm and may extend downwardly into the bowl forming the upper part of the pump body,

outwardly and downwardly so that its lower end is adjacent to but spaced from the walls of the bowl. The guard may be of flexible material so as to avoid breakage when solid material tends to jam between its edge and the inner face of the bowl and may be so flexible that accessibility to the valves may be obtained merely by turning up the diaphragm at its outer edge, the diaphragm being restored to its normal condition for the regular operation of the pump. in some cases large particles which might interfere with the pump action, such as stones, tools or the like may be arrested. by the guard. The bowl may also be flushed out without any disassembling whatsoever, and solid or liquid components may be fed into the pump itself without any adjusting thereof.

t will be understood that such solid or liquid components or any small foreign substances which may pass bctween the guard and the bowl, will first reach the diaphragm zone at its periphery where the small solid particles may be trapped before they reach the valve seat at the center of the diaphragm, thereby preventing jamming or unseating of the valve or loss in pump efhciency due to even slight interference with. the valve move ment. Furthermore, any material introduced'into the pump for mixing with the pumped liquid will enter at the margin of the bowl, thereby avoiding interference with the action of the central valve and assisting in improved mixing in the bowl.

(Ether objects and advantages will be ap' parent from consideration of the following description and. the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a view partly in vertical section of a diaphragm pump embodying one form of he invention.

2 is a view, similar to Fig. 1, of a pump embodying a second form of the invention.

n attaining the objects of the invention, 's .1 ade of a splash guard of relatively thin material. corresponding in shape to the surface of a frustum of a circular cone and arranged with its smaller end at the top and suitably secured to the rigid connection by which the diaphragm is rec-iprocated, and with its larger end adjacent but separated from the inner surface of the pump bowl above the diaphragm. In the preferred form of the invention, the splash guard is made of rubber and is of suflicient flexibility that it may be turned up around the edge and thereby permit access to the valve in the diaphragm and to the interior of the bowl around the diaphragm without any special adjustment. The upper end of the guard lits around the top of the frame of the valve controlling the central opening in the diaphragm and is clamped thereto by suitable means. The guard may, however, be rela tively thin and of metal, attached to a connecting rod or member above he valve frame in such a manner that it may be adjustably clamped to said member at any point therealong, for example, at the proper position for use as a guard, or at any convenient position at sufficient height to permit access from above to the diaphragm valve and the space adjacent the diaphragm.

Referring to the drawings, 10 designates a base provided with an opening 11 receiving the flanged upper end of a pipe 12 through which the liquid is drawn into the pump whose body 13 rests on the base 10 and is secured to the pipe 12 in any suitable manner. The pump body is provided at its lower part with an inlet or passage 14. which is in register at its lower end with pipe 12 and communicates at its upper end with the lower end of a suction chamber 15 which flares outwardly from its bottom to its top where the pump body is provided at its interior with an annular seat 16 to receive thereon a flexible diaphragm 17 having a central opening 18 through which the pumped liquid passes from the suction chamber 15 to the interior of a pump bowl 19 from which the liquid overflows over a lip 20. At the outer side of the seat there is provided a channel 21. The diaphragm is secured on the seat by means of a ring 22 placed on the diaphragm from above and held in position by any suitable means such as screws 23 passing through openings in the ring and in the diaphragm and threaded into the material of the body 13 below the seat 16.

The diaphragm 17 is provided at its central opening 18 with a check valve 242 which may include a ball cooperating with a suit able valve seat in the form of a ring or washer 26 secured in a frame 27 having at its lower end any suitable annular seat 28 against which the diaphragm is clamped from below by any suitable means, such as clamping ring 29 pressed upwardly towards said seat by means of screws 3-0 which pass through the ring and the diaphragm and are threaded into the material of the cage or frame 27, Pumping is effected by reciprocating the frame 27 and during the upward movement thereof the ball 25 rests on the seat or wash-er 26 and liquid is sucked into the suction chamber 15 through a. one-way or check valve 31, which is here shown as including a ball 32 which cooperates with a seat 33 located at the bottom of the suction chamber '15 and the upper end of the passage 1 1. As soon as the next downward movement of the frame 27 begins, the ball which has been in raised position, drops back on its seat and holds the liquid in the suction chamber against downward movement throng the inlet passage 14, thereby causing the ball 25 to be lifted from its seat and liquid to pass through the diaphragm into the bowl. Upon the next upward movement of the frame 2. the ball 25 will drop into engagement with the seat and the liquid in the bowl 19 will be lifted and caused to overflow the lip 20, suction being produced at the same time in the suction chamber to lift the ball 32 and draw into the suction chamber :nlditioual liquid to furnish a fresh supply for the pump bowl upon the next downward movement of the diaphragm.

Reciprocation of the frame 2? may be effected by any suitable means which, as here disclosed, may include a connecting rod screwed into the upper end of the frame and held in adjusted position by means of a loc nut 35 and a pin 36 passing through open" in the rod and frame, rod being by an eccentric device, such as an ecc tric- 37 connected with the rod 3% by eccentric strap sections 38 and. and mounted on a shaft 40 driven by a pulley l1, the shaft 44) being jonrnaled in bearings carried by frames 42 mounted 011 the base 10. It will be seen that the frame 27 and the conneciingrod constitute a rigid connection. between the eccentric and the diaphragm. The structure thus far described is, in general, similar to pump structures heretofore in use.

As already described, splash guards heretofore in use have been stationary wi'h relatively large central openings to permit the necessary swinging movement of the comet ing rod 34L \Vhen a splash guard of this type is used, all foreign material falling through such an opening and all material introduced for mixture with the pumped material. will tend to fall on, or at the sides of, the f nine 27 and thereby interfere with the operation of the valve at the central opening in the diaphragm.

The present invention relates more particularly to improvements in such splash guards, and, as illustrated in Fig. 1, may be embo in a member d3 of relatively thin 10' flared downwardly and outwardly in the eral form of the surface of a frusli cone, and secured to the parts connectii V. eccentric and the diaphragm, as by clampmovable part 25 coop ing ring 4-: l" aving at its ends ears l5 secured together by means 01 bolts it, said clamping iiig oein preferably located for clamping upper end of the memb r or guard to end of the frame Obviously ay readily be uuclamped and vc access to the valve 24 and ad- It is desirable however, to have the guard c permit yielding when articles uard and the bowl and o phragm val e and the lower part of the pump 1, and th n to be turned down again to resume its origiual shape and condition. ly such guard is of rubber of such -ess and flexibility as to enable the turnup and down oi": its outer edge to be enected readily. it should be noted that, in downward movement, t is outer edge of th guard approac; t

l the inner surface of bowl which converges dowuwardl thus the annular space through which the liquid may splash out of the pump at the time when the liquid in the suction chamber is passin through the diaphragm.

Another feature of the invention relates to e he the control or" the suction below the valve 31 by suitable means, such as a port l7 controlled by a pet cock 48, and the suction and compression in the suction chamber by suitable means such asv a port 49 controlled by a pet cocl: 50., Leakage air through these ports will reduce the suction in the respective chambers, thereby reducing the pump capacity.

In Fig. 2 there is illustrated a pump of the type as that disclosed in ouying a modiaied form of splash I M In the pump shown in Fig. 2, the pump body 13 is secured to the base by suitable mea s such as screws and th inlet i at the bottom ofthe suction chamber is provided with check valve 31 including an annular valve or washer 33 and a movable valve part 32.

The valve 2% for th cental opening in the diaphragm 17 includes a va scat 2S a rati; giherewith. The mod "or end or a valve cage ti 2;? his lower end of which the day is clamped around its central opening 1y means of a rin 29 and bolts 30 est ending through th to the top thereof where nuts are screwed thereon. The connecting rod 3% is threaded into the upper part the frame 2'? and secured in position by a lock nut and pin 36 as described in connection ''ith the structure shown in Fig. 1.

The splash guard 43, illustrated in Fig. 2, is of relatively thin resilient material, such as sheet metal, rubber or still fabric, and is secured to the connecting rod 34. However,

valve seat is 1110* proper diameter and flare to receive the 'upper end of the splash guard 43 which is secured thereto in any suitable manner as by brazing. The guard 43 is secured in fixed po-' sition relative to the connecting rod 34 by suitable means, such as a set screw threaded through the sleeve 52 so that it may be forced against the connecting rod to clamp the sleeve and rod together.

As shown in Fig. 2 the member 51 may be in engagement with the upper side of the lock nut during normal operation. When, however, access to the bottom of the bowl is desired the set screw 55 may be loosened, the guard 43 raised as far as may be desired, and the set screw 55 tightened to hold the guard in raised position. Obviously the guard should be restored to its normal position preparatory to further operation of the ump.

It should be understood that various changes may be made in the construction and arran ement of the parts and that certain parts may be used without others, without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. In a diaphragm pump the combination with an open bowl having an inlet and an outlet, a diaphragm extending across said inlet, a check valve in said diaphragm for admitting fluid into said bowl, and means for reciprocating said diaphragm including a drive member connected centrally with said diaphragm and extending axially thereof, of a combined bowl cover and splash guard supported from said reciprocating means.

2. In a diaphragm pump, the combination with a bowl having an inlet and an outlet, a

diaphragm extending across said inlet, a check: valve in said diaphragm for admitting fluid into said bowl, and means for reciprocating said diaphragm including a drive member connected centrally with said diaphragm and extending axially thereof, of a splash guard mounted on said drive member and adjustable to place its outer edge in low ered position adjacent to but spaced from the inner face of the bowl, or to place its outer edge in raised position to provide access to the bowl.

3. In a diaphragm pump, the combination with a bowl having an inlet and an outlet, a diaphragm extending across said inlet, a

and the inner face of the bowl.

4. In a diaphragm pump, the combination with a bowl having an inlet and an outlet, a diaphragm extending across said inlet, a check valve in said diaphragm for admitting fluid into said bowl, and means for recipro eating said diaphragm including a drive member connected centrally with said diaphragm and extending axially thereof, of a splash guard mounted on said drive me1nher and extending downwardly and outwardly with its edge adjacent to but spaced from the inner face of the bowl, said guard being of flexible material and adapted to he turned upwardly at its edge to enable access to said bowl, and to be turned downwardly again to restore it to its normal condition.

5. In a diaphragm pump, the combination with a bowl having an inlet and an outlet, a diaphragm extending across said inlet, a check valve in said diaphragm for pumping fluid into said bowl, and means for reciproeating said diaphragm including a drive member connected centrally with said diaphragm and extending axially thereof, of a splash guard surrounding said drive menr her and means for clamping said splash guard on said drive member or for releasing it for movement therealong.

6. In a diaphragm pump, the combination with a bowl having an inlet and an outlet, a diaphragm extending across said inlet, a check "alve in said diaphragm for admitting fluid into said bowl, and means for reciprocating said diaphragm including a drive member connected centrally with said diaphragm and extending axially thereof, of a splash guard mounted on said drive memher and extending downwardly and outwardly with its edge adjacent to but spaced from the inner face of the bowl, said guard being of flexible rubber and adapted to be turned upwardly at its edge to enable access to said bowl and to be turned downwardly again to restore it to its normal condition, and means for clamping said guard to said drive member.

7. In a diaphragm pump the combination with a bowl having an inlet and an outlet, a diaphragm extending across said inlet, acheck valve in said diaphragm :tor admitting fluid into said bowl, and means for reciprocating said diaphragm including a drive member connected centrally with said diaphragm and extending axially thereof, of a splash guard mounted on said drive member and extending outwardly therefrom with its edge adjacent to the inner face ot the bowl, said inner face being inclined to provide reduced clearance between the splash guard and said face when the splash guard in lowermost position.

8. In a diaphragm pump the con'ihination with a bowl having a contour substzuitially that of an inverted frustrum of a cone and provided with an inlet and an outlet, a diaphragm extending across the inlet, a check alvc in said diaphragm {or admitting fluid said bowl, and means for reciprocating said diaphragm, of a splash guard supported from said reciprocating means having walls converging toward an apex.

9. In a diaphragm pump the combination with a bowl having a contour substantially that of an inverted frustrum of a cone and provided with an inlet and an outlet, dia phragm extending across the inlet, a check valve in said diaphragm for admitting fluid into said bowl, and means for reciprocating said diaphragm, 01'? a splash guard supported from said reciprocating means having a contour substantially that of a frustrum of a cone.

10. In a diaphragm pump having a dia pl 'agm, valves co-operating therewith, means for reciprocating the diaphragm, a splash guard supported -from the reciprocating means, and an open bowl for housing the said parts having a contour substantially the same as that of the splash guard but oppositely directed.

11. In a diaphragm pump having a dia phragm, valves co-operating therewith, means for reciprocating the diaphragm, a splash guard supported from the reeiprocr ing means, and an open bowl for housing said parts, said bowl and splash guard each having walls converging toward an apex.

In. testimony whereof I at'fix my signature.

JOHN V. Ni DORR. 

